Wings waive Jan Mursak

DETROIT – Just one game after returning from a collar bone injury, Jan Mursak has been waived by the Wings.

If he clears waivers by noon Saturday, Detroit can assign him to Grand Rapids.

One of his problems of not being able to crack the lineup was his health.

Mursak, 25, had just two goals and two assists in 46 career games with the Wings.

“For Murs to be real good we need him to be on the forecheck, to be relentless,” Wings coach Mike Babcock said on Thursday. “He’s got a great shot. He’s got to shoot the puck and he’s got to be real good defensively, good on the wall and good decision-making at their blue line.”

Mursak, who was taken in the sixth round of the 2006 draft by the Wings, started on a line with Tomas Tatar and Joakim Andersson on Thursday against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Mursak hasn’t had any luck with injuries over the last two seasons. Last year he broke his ankle late in the preseason.

“It hasn’t been fun,” Mursak said Thursday. “I’m just trying to stay positive. Some days I’m a little more frustrated than others, but hopefully that’s the end of the injuries. Hopefully I can keep playing here without being hurt.”